Android vs iOS: Which Platform is Right For Mobile App Development?

In this rapidly advancing world, every business needs a mobile app, be it a small or a large-sized firm. Selecting the right platform to build a mobile app can be a difficult choice. According to the technical requirements of an app, a business needs to decide which platform they want to develop on. The optimal way is to build an app and launch it on both platforms.

Though it is not possible for small-sized firms because of the small budgets and resources. 

Both the Android and iOS platforms have their own specific advantages so businesses should research properly before considering any platform for their app launch. 

Check below the key factors that should be considered while choosing between an Android and iOS platform. 

1. Target Audience

It is important to know who your target audience is before building a mobile app. Android has a stronger audience in countries like Asia, South America, and Africa whereas iOS has a strong audience base in North America and Australia. 

Android platform has higher popularity in lower-income developing countries whereas iOS has a stronghold in developed countries. Once the business has defined its audience it is easy for them to choose a development platform

2. Timeline

How quickly you want your app to get launched in the market. Building an app for android devices usually takes a long time because of the longer release cycles. The number of android devices is much more than iOS devices in the market. To build an iOS device can involve less amount of time, but it can also take a longer time to get approved in the app store because of the higher quality expectations and strict rules. 

Mobile app developers play an important role in defining a timeline for your app development. So it is important for businesses to ensure that they hire mobile app developers who have the right knowledge and skill to speed up the process of your mobile app development.

3. Desired Features

Before you make your final decision to choose a platform for your app development business needs to check whether the platform provides the desired features or not. A good platform will always provide easy workflows and better handling of endorsement

The features that every business desire in any platform is

  • Authentication
  • Push Notification
  • Data Storage
  • Easy Integration

4. Budget

Budget is one of the main constraints and is one of the main factors that decide which platform to choose for mobile app development. Developing an app for one platform is less expensive than launching for both the platforms together. 

The larger and the more complex is the project the higher the costing for app development. The time taken to develop an app is directly proportional to the cost of it i.e – higher time taken higher is the cost of the development. Therefore it is advised to carefully choose the platform according to your budget. 

5. Making the decision

Ultimately it’s your decision to choose which platform suits you best for your app development. You can keep in mind these points, match your requirements and then take a final decision.

If your target audience is from a higher-income category and you plan to earn through app downloads then go for the iOS platform and if your audience lies in developing countries and you offer your app as a free app then you can choose Android.  

6. Revenue goal

When a business invests a good amount of budget in its mobile app development it also expects some return out of it. Business needs to see whether they want to offer their mobile app as a free download, or would they like to charge for their apps in the app store or play store. 

Android can be a better option if you want to release your mobile app in the freemium model and if you want to charge for your mobile app you can go with the iOS platform. 

Conclusion

To sum up, both Android and iOS platforms have their own distinct advantages. It totally depends on the business what platform they want to choose for their app development. The platform should fulfill its business goal and the intention to create an app. 

Both platforms have their own pros and cons are highly preferred by mobile app developers to build an app.